About the Adriaanse surname

[This excerpt from Stamouers would probably be the earliest history of ADRIAANSE in the Cape. Why am I interested? One of my great-great grandmothers was Elisabeth ADRIAANSE (1831-1889) who married Adam BRAAF (1826-1892). They lived in Klipfontein Downs and Rozendal Downs. Elisabeth was born in Modderfontein. (I must look at the maps again). Elizabeth's younger sister, Martha ADRIAANSE, married Gideon BRAAF. I have found that the ADRIAANSE and BRAAF family lines have crossed a few times through marriage. Elisabeth and Adams' youngest child, Carolina (1878-1947) married my great grandfather William Henry Clayton (1875-1912). He was a wagonmaker and they lived in Paarl. ]

An excerpt from Stamouers van Suid Afrika Jan Jan de WIT, born in 1677 at New York, in April 1755. He is from Stanton White, Norfolk (U.S.A.) He arrived in 1700 at Cape Town. He was the son of Willem de Wit who was living in New York, at Nieuw Nederland. (Note : We are unable to find what or where is Stanton White)

According to family tradition the name de Wit was originally White. There is an interesting legend behind the change of the family name but we don’t know what it is. Jan de WIT was married on 20-03-1707 to Maria ADRIAANSE, she was the daughter of Anna PIETERS of Batavia, (illegitimate daughter or daughter from a previous marriage or relationship). Lambert ADRIAANSE of Wye, Gelderland married Anna PIETERS on 1.3.1694

Their children from this marriage are: 1. Anna Catharina de WIT, born on 26 Dec 1707 and died in Batavia. Married at the age of 18 on 24 Feb 1726 to Rynhard Johannes WILTENS, vice-merchant of the V.O.C. 2. Maria Elisabeth de WIT, born on 24 Jan 1712. 3. Willem Adriaan Christiaan de WIT, christened on 03 Jun 1714. 4. Petrus Johannes de WIT born on 23 Aug 1716 in Cape Town, died circa 1805. 5. Isabella de WIT, christened on 28 May 1719. Church marriage at the age of 26 on 22 March 1746 to Jasper WESTPALM. 6. Johanna de WIT, christened on 18 Jan 1722. Died on 25 Feb 1747 at the age of 25, on board of the ship "Zuiderberg". Church marriage at the age of 22 on 26 Jul 1744 to Thomas SWELLENGREBEL, merchant at Batavia, born in Archangel. 7. Johannes Hendricus de WIT, Captain of a Dutch fleet, christened on 01 Oct 1724.

On the 6 January 1709 Jan de Wit's slave Rachel van Bengaalen had her child Dina baptised.

2. Many of the Aborigines suffer from the Ellis-van-Crevell syndrome. This is where one has an extra toe or finger, this phenomenon also occurs amongst the Amish in America who are from Dutch background.

3. Playford suggest from archeological excavations that 30 persons may have survived the shipwreck. They located campfires, huts, coins, glass and a belt buckle

4. Philip Pendal chairman of the Western Australian government's "Select Committee on Ancient Shipwrecks" states - "growing body of opinion that some survivors of the Zuytdorp lived in the area between Kalbarri and Shark Bay" "The evidence is not conclusive, but it had far more substance than previously thought."

5. A number of Aborigines from that area have square jaws and have blond hair. As noted Hendrik left no progeny at the Cape. His half sister Susanna did leave descendants.